National Republican., 1887-08-22
CUR WEAPON IS FAITH,
DIR. TALMAGE'S DISCOURSE on THE
DOuBTERS OF THE WORLD.
The Way to Reach God Is Through
Faith and Not Through Metaphysics
or Logic-Evidences of the Power to
Save Souls.

fecter OF the locomotive engiue, the scientists
proved conclusively that railway train could
never be driven by steam power successfully
and without peril: but the rushing express
trains from Liverpool to Edinburgh, and from
Edinburgh to London, have made oil the
nations witnesses OF The splendid achieve.
ment. Machinists and navigators
proved conclusively that a steamer could
never cross the Atlantic ocean; but no sooner
had they successfully proved the impossibility
of tuch an undertaking than the work was
done, and the passengers Of the Cuuard aud the
1nman and the National and the White Star
lines are witnesses. Then went up guilaw of
wise laughter at Prof Morse's proposition to
make the lightning of heaven his errand boy,
and II was proved conclusively that tho thing
could never be done; but now all the news of
the wide world, by Associated Press, put In
your hands every morning and night, has
made all nations witnesses.
So in the time of Christ II was proved con-
clusiyely that II was impossible for Him to
rite from the dead. 1t was shown logically
that whea n man was dead, he was dead, aud
the heort and the liver AID tine lungs having
ceased TO perform their offices the limbs would
be rigid beyond all power of friction or
surdity that the dead Christ should ever get up
alive; but no sooner had they proved this than
the dt ad Christ arose, aud the disciples beheld
Him, heard nls voice, and talked with Him,
and they took the witness stand to prove that
To be tue which the wiseacres of the day had
Ifoyed TO be impossible; the record of the ex.
jtr!ment and of the testimony Is In the text:
"Him hath God raised from the dead. whereof
we are witnesses"
Now let me pay the skeptc for n moment
"1here is no God" says the skeptic, "for !
have never seen Him with my physical eye.
sight. Your Bible is pack of contradictions
There never was n miracle Lazarus was
rot iaised from the dead, and the, water was
imposition on the credulity OF the age " There
Ia an aged man moving In that pew as though
he would like TO respond. Here are hundreds
u people with faces a little flushed ut these
announcements, and all through this house
there is suppressed.fee which would like
to speak out in behalf Of the truth of our
SiGns n as are in vtns,s 1hs Gays of the
The fact is that II this world is ever brought
70 God, it VIII not be through argument, but
through M testimony. !i,S You You IN might cover . the
learned treatsos in defense of religion-you
would not convert soul. Lectures on the
harmony between science and religion are
teauiiful mental discipline, but have never
saved a soul, and never will save a soul: Put
| man of the world and n man of the chnrch
| against each other, and the man of the world
are a thousand things in our relipion that seem
| Illogical to the world, and always will seem
4 illogical.
| faith, not metaphysics; faith, not profundity;
| faith, not scholastic exploration. But then,
in order to have faith we must have testimony,
| IL,
or 100000 men get up and tell me that they
| have felt the religion OF Jesus Christ a joy, Il
comfort, help. an inspiration, am bound as
fair.minded man to accept their testimony.
sitions, the truth of which ] think this au-
| dience will attest with overwhelming unani'
| The first proposition is: We are witnesses that
| the religion OF Christ is able to convert soul.
| The Gospel may have had hard time TO
conquer us, we may have fought 1t back but
1 ,,ar yannniShaH al gav ian 10
am are 'R There we never e" was st Sc
great change in our heart and life on any
the missionaries in Madagascar because they
preached ten years without one convert; bu,
there are thirty-three thousand convert:
at DR.. Judson, the Baptist missionary
because he kept on preaching in Burmah five
years without single convert; but there are
People laughed Mt DIR. Morrison in China, fol
preaching there seven years without a single
conversions: hut there are fifteen thousanc
| Christians in China to-day. People laughed u
the missionaries TOR preaching at Tahiti for
fifteen years without q single conversion, and
at the missionaries for preaching In Benga
yet in all those lands there are multltudes o
Christians to-day.
But Why go so far to find evidences of the
Sege S ays Sud aVa nn no Mn eO
have humbled us: We were 70 hard that M
earthly power could have melted us; angels o
God were all around about us. they could mo-
overcome us; but one day, perhaps NJ Metho
dist anxious seat, or at a. Presbyterian cat
chttlcal lecture, or at burial, or on horst
back, power seized us and made, ms get down
| and made us tremble, and made us knecl
aRS aHS we mace Tried US to- wy Wrench i0f eussSs @sEsS
away from the grasp, but We could not. |
| flung us fiat, and when we arose we were a
much changed as Gourgls the heathen, VIII,
went into prayer meeting with digger ant
aGun 10 disturb the meeting and destroy 1t
hut the next day was found crying: "oh! m!
| great sins! Oh! my great SaviOurl' and TO
| eleven years preached the Gospel of Christ u
his fellow mountaineers, the last words on hi
dying lips bling, Free grace!' Oh, 1t wa
There is man who was for ten years a hare
drinker. The dreadful appetite had sen
rs and s on do%n an Rsy sss S8s Hsf
| linktd with the yltals OF cody, mind, and soul
hut he has not taken any stimulants for tw
societies, not prohibition laws, not moral sua
sion. Conversion did 1t. "Why," said on
upon whom the great change had come ,,sir,
feel just as though were somebody else"
There lisa sea captain who swore oil the wa
fiom New York to Havana, and from Havan
to San Francisco, and when he was In port h
was worse than when he was on the see
What power was 1t than washed his tongu
clean of profani les and made him psalm
singer Conversion by the Holy Spirit. Tner
are thousands of people Is this house to,nigh
water lily is niehtsbade, or morning lark |
a yullure, or day is night.
Now, II should demand that all those pee
pie In this house who have felt the convertin
power OF religion should rise, SO far from be
Ing ashamed, they would spring TO their lei
with more alacrity than they ever sprang I
a se ase pEg yh
And II they tried TO sing the old Gospel hym
they would break down with emotion by tn
time they got to the secend iine
"Ashamed of Jesus, that dear friend
On whom my hopes of heaven depend?
No! When blush, be this my shamei
That no more revere His name"
Again / remark that tive are Witnesses c
the Gospels power to comfort,
When man has trouble the world comes
and says; "Now get your mind of this; go OF
and breathe the fresh air; plunge deeper int
business" What poor advice Get your min
oil of 1t when everything isuptuIned with Il
what you have lost Get your mind of of |
They might as well advise you to stop thinl
ing. You cannot stop thinking and you ca,
awaik In the fresh air? Why, along that vel
street, or along that very road, sue once aC
compRnied you. Out OF that grass plot sh
looked, fascinated, saying Come SEQ tn
| pictures" Go deeper into business? Why, sh
was associated with all your business amo
!i2n, and since she has gone you have no al
Oh, this is clumsy world when 1t tries t
comfort broken heart! l can build Corli
engine, can paint Raphaei's MADONNA"
can play q Bgethoren's "Symphony'' ns easi
as this world can comfort u broken heart. An
yet, you have been comiOrtCd. How was
dore2 D'd ChIist come 10 you and say: sc
your mind OH rhis; go out and breathe II
fu sh air; plunge deeper into business!
No. There was a L.inule when he eau
TO you-perhaps in tho watches Of the nigh
pcfhaps in your place OF business, perhaI
along the street-and lie breathed somethin
into your soul that gave pence, rest indni
| quiet, so that you could take out the phott
| eyes and face Of the dear one and say, III
| all right: she is better of; would not call HI
. back, Lord, thank Thet that Thou hast con
foried my poor heart"
There are Christian parents here who al
willing to I! stiy TO the power OF this Gospel